Future Edisons of America

Turn your employees into inventors

Only when your employees truly believe that they’re “paid to think” will they harness their creativity and propose blockbuster ideas. Here’s how to lead them:

Tell stories. When grappling with a problem, ask employees to describe it as a “once upon a time” story. This forces them to reduce the issue to essentials and create a narrative that puts the challenge in context. It can lead to happily-ever-after solutions.

List obstacles. A contrarian approach to brainstorming is to get the group to identify all the reasons why a proposal won’t work. It’s easier to find fault and poke holes. Pose “what if” questions to force critical thinking.

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